ThisNext is coming soon to help you shop better, smarter, and ultimately find products to better your life… and that of your pets as well! So until we launch, check out Active K9’s Blog featuring some great innovative products for your pup. Reviews on everything from the hot new Water Wubba, the SPOT Window vent guard (let your dog breathe in the car, without jumping out), and even special Joint Support for your Dogs.

ThisNext loves making sure everyone has the opportunity to make informed intelligent purchases - and often that means seeing everything thats out there, and hearing what others have to say about it. Well the ladies of ChipChick have found this new “Open Source” Virtual Gallery created by renowned artist, Charles Saatchi. “In three weeks, Your Gallery on Saatchi’s Web Site, averaging 1.7 million hits a day, has evolved into a hute gathering site for some 5,000 artists in 60 countries around the globes. Some of the works have been sold at prices of up to 100,000 pounds (which, at the currest exchange rate, amounts to $184,000). Best part of all? There is no fee for commission and no red tape with the dealers.” This brings the high end gallery scene - and opens it up to everyone, be it for buying OR selling.

For ThisNext, intelligent consumption means choosing products that help prevent potential problems — instead of waiting till the trouble starts. So we’re curious about the Smart Cat Touchpad, an ergonomic mouse alternative recommended by Paul Freibott at Lime’s Stuff We Like blog. Freibott, whose bout with repetitive strain injury once had him “laid up for nearly three weeks with inflammation, pain, muscle spasms, and numbness in my arms, wrists, and elsewhere,” suggests the Touchpad to any heavy clickers with sore index fingers. Compatible with both PCs and Macs, the device “works just like a laptop touchpad except that you can pick it up and use various fingers, including your thumb.” Freibott alternates the Touchpad with two other mouse alternatives to avoid repetitive movements and keep his hands healthy and happy.